WHAT MIC SHOULD I GET? [INDEX]
I often get questions from folks looking to obtain a microphone for various purposes. “What kind of mic should I get?”
A fair question, of course, but like so many others, it’s answerable only by an evasive “it depends” followed by an avalanche of corollaries and caveats. I’m leaving aside the much larger topic of microphones used in music production, since the inquiry under discussion here usually comes from folks interested in getting into either voiceover production, podcasting, location sound for picture, or some combo thereof.
It’s made sense to launch a series of posts dedicated to addressing each usage, so that eventually I can send someone this URL instead of having to lay it all out over and over again. This post will serve as the index; down the line, I’ll provide three others, each dedicated to an individual utility, all linked back here as home base.
Make sure to read the rest of this entry before proceeding. But here’s the index to jump to entries about microphones for:
One thing to consider is that if you want to start recording yourself, it’s good to do at least some rudimentary research on how microphones work. You can own the snazziest gear money can buy, but if you don’t know how to use it, it’s not going to get you very far. Make sure to learn the difference between condenser and dynamic mics, and the concept of phantom power.
Some questions you might want to ask yourself before purchasing a new microphone: Do you already have a mic? And if so, is it good enough to use, and if so, why bother procuring a new one? Is it possible to rent one? (Often cheaper than you might think.) Does someone else have one you can borrow, or do you need it long-term? And do you really want to do this yourself, or should you just save the stress and hire someone to record you? I’m all for the DIY spirit, but there’s a limit: I could grow my own food and build my own house, and yet.
Some other things to keep in mind:
—You’ll see that some recommendations will overlap between categories, so you might want to keep track of that if your needs overlap thusly.
—The space you record in is crucial. A really nice mic only gets you so far if you don’t have good acoustic treatment wherever you’re working. Another big topic we won’t be covering here, but worth a mention.
—I’ll be naming brands, makes and models as we proceed here, but be advised that my preferred items are not the be-all and end-all. Others prefer (and/ or can afford) other items. And good for them! Please gather as many opinions as you can.
—A piece of gear that can often serve more than one function is more valuable than one that can’t. For example, you’ll read later that certain mics in my collection are useful for multiple applications, which is one reason I purchased them.
—Perhaps most importantly of all, don’t get stuck on the treadmill of constantly longing for more and better gear. Believe me, it never ends. Unless you have unlimited funds, the smart approach is to make your recording sound the best you can with the gear you have. You don’t necessarily need to upgrade your gear. But you can always upgrade your skill set, so focus on that process, and may it never end!
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